Mischief, Murder and Merlot (A Wine Trail Mystery Book 8)

Author:    J.C. Eaton

Genre:     Mystery

Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781958384077

Beyond the Page Publishing

252 Pages

$14.99; $3.99 Amazon

August 30, 2022

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Back at Two Witches Winery for a short stay, Norrie Ellington is warming to the holiday spirit and the upcoming Hallow Wine Weekend, and she's happy to steer clear of the writer from Wine Enthusiast magazine who's come to do interviews about this year's spectacular Merlot.  But then the critic's dead body is found slumped over a Halloween cauldron display, and despite a stern warning from the local deputy to keep her nose out of it, Norrie instantly switches into sleuth mode.

Intent on discovering why someone wanted to silence the victim, Norrie quickly learns that he was an unbearable snob and known womanizer who had no shortage of enemies.  But as one suspect after another leads to a dead end, Norrie's stumped -- until the one mysterious clue that's been haunting her turns the case around.  Now, as all the ghouls, goblins, and trick-or-treaters come out on Halloween, Norrie's ready to unleash her spirit of justice -- she just has to close in on the killer before the Grim Reaper closes in on her...

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Norrie Ellington is a screenwriter in Manhattan, while her sister mans the family's Two Witches Winery.  But when Francine and her husband Jason are off again on another quest for an elusive insent, Norrie makes the journey to take over the winery until they return -- which, she hopes, will be soon.  No sooner does she arrive than she discovers that a writer from Wine Enthusiast magazine is visiting the local vintners to check out their Merlots.  Norrie is more than happy to leave him to Franz, her own winemaker.

She has more on her plate than writing a new screenplay, she has to make sure the Halloween decorations and events are running smoothly, along with her meetings with the other local vintners.  But one morning she gets a call from one of her workers who tells her that there's more than two witches near their cauldron decoration...someone has added a body and they're very much dead.  After discovering the man's identity, she's told to keep it under her hat -- easier said than done.  Now Norrie, along with her friends, is determined to find out who killed him.

But with people swarming the winery and others from the magazine, she's on the trail of a killer.  But then there's another problem or two that arises, the least of these being that Norrie herself might have to sell her own soul to solve the murder...

This is the eighth book in the series, and I have enjoyed them all immensely.  J.C. Eaton is indeed a talented author (and yes, I know it's a brother and sister team but I will refer to them as one) who can weave a story well, pulling the reader into the tale and making us see the winery and all the action surrounding it.

It is autumn, and you can almost smell the scents in the air as they bundle up for the season; trying to find a killer but stay out of the watchful eye of Deputy 'Grizzly' Gary, as Norrie has labeled him.  This time out she manages to stay under the wire, but just barely.  It was almost as if I wanted to ignore the fact of what she was doing at times.  

The mystery is so well-wrought that even I had no idea of the murderer right up until the point that Norrie began to put it together.  It is a taut tale of greed and murder, intrigue and secrets, and it is told well and leaves us wanting more.  I eagerly await the next in the series.  Highly recommended.

I received an advance copy from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.

https://smile.amazon.com/Mischief-Murder-Merlot-J-Eaton-ebook/dp/B0B61TCMZY/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4885863543

More on J.C. Eaton's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/e/j-c-eaton/

Bacon, Bodyguards, and Ballistics (A Piper Sandstone Culinary Cozy Mystery)

Author:    Karen McSpade

Genre:     Mystery

Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9798839900240

Independently Published

420 Pages

$10.99; $.99 Amazon

July 16, 2022

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Reeling with excitement over the opening of a private investigation agency and her budding romance with the sheriff, Piper Sandstone can't wait to launch her dream career and return to a somewhat normal life.  But danger lurks on the horizon -- the dirty cops back in Chicago still want her dead.  They are ruthless and on the hunt; no price is too steep for her head.

But Piper's already in a predicament of prodigious proportions when an art heist at the Bancroft Estate leaves a bodyguard dead...and she and her crime-fighting gal pals are at the center of the crime scene.  With more suspects than the hottie sheriff can shake a stick at, it's no surprise the Mayor has requested help from the new private eyes.

Tangled in another mystery in Savory, Alabama, Piper is determined to solve the case with the help of her quirky senior sleuth friends dubbed the Dentures and Diamonds Crime Squad.  These zany retirees traded in their female rock band glory to fight crime, but can they help Piper maintain her cover and catch the killer before she or another Savory resident winds up dead?

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Piper Sandstone, aka Sharon, has just opened the Queen's Bees Private Investigation firm along with her senior sleuthing friends Doris, Rosemary, Patty Sue and Margie (aka the Diamonds and Dentures Crime Squad), and they're just off a case of finding a killer and a champion dog.  Now they're ready for business.  But before they do so, they're attending the dog show at the estate of a wealthy art collector.  Unfortunately, things don't go well -- the art is stolen right off the walls, and during the show.  So now they have to wonder who would have planned this?  It doesn't help when the owner, Henry Hughes, shows up, screaming at everyone, nor when the PIs find a dead security guard.

Someone had to know about the heist.  Was it the security guard they found, Marco Jenkins?  Or the IT guy who claims a hacker broke into the system?  Or was it someone close to Mr. Hughes, who might have thought this a good opportunity?  But Piper knows art like this can't be sold, and only another private investor will buy it.  So where do they go from here?

With the unwanted help of Piper's new bodyguard, Gemma Bianchi, hired by her uncle, Chief Hobbs, to protect her (really, how can a woman so small protect anyone?), and Gemma constantly telling her everything Piper does is a bad idea, she's still determined to solve the case.  If the PIs don't, they just might be relegated to finding more cases involving cows.  But just as things seem to be getting interesting, her Chicago friends Nancy and Morgan have surprises in store for themselves.

Piper's also trying to take time out for herself -- and her interest in the sheriff.  On a picnic together she's miffed that Gemma insists on tagging along, albeit 'being invisible'.  She doesn't even want a bodyguard!

Yet she has to work on the case, and when they may or may not have hit upon a major clue...and meanwhile, back in Chicago, Piper's friends are still having problems of their own -- and need to get to her...

We know that Piper has been hiding out in Savory, ever since she cornered dirty cops in the Windy City.  Until the case comes to trial, she's been living as Sharon in her PI business.  But unfortunately, a glimpse of Piper has hit the news because the ladies are investigation the high-end art robbery and two deaths.

The hit men are on the trail.  Her good cop friends from Chicago are following the hit men and trying to get to Piper first.  And Piper and her friends are trying to solve the heist and the murder.  How can her bodyguard Gemma keep Piper safe if she won't let her?...

This is a blast, watching the seniors at work while they try and stay by Piper's side.  Piper, meanwhile, is trying to do her job and not worry about anything else; but then again, she doesn't know the hit men are on their way.  Still, I have to say that the last is probably the best part of the book.  Everything comes together neatly, and we get a climax that's both intense and funny at the same time.  The book ties up all the ends together weaving the story to a satisfying conclusion, and Piper and her friends definitely have their hands full, leaving something else to look forward to...but I won't spoil it.  Highly recommended.

I received a copy of this book from the author and BookSprout but this in no way influenced my review.

https://www.amazon.com/Bacon-Bodyguards-Ballistics-Collection-Sandstone-ebook/dp/B0B61ZS4VP/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4881481218

More on Karen McSpade's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/m/karen-mcspade/

Dewey Decimated (A Haunted Library Mystery Book 6)

Author:    Allison Brook

Genre:     Mystery/Paranormal

Hardcover; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781639100903

Crooked Lane Books

336 Pages

$26.99; $13.99 Amazon

September 6, 2022

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Carrie Singleton is just off a hot string of murder cases centered around the spooky local library in Clover Ridge, Connecticut.  She could really use a break -- but no such luck, as she, Smoky Joe, the resident cat, and Evelyn, the library's ghost, are drawn into another tantalizing whodunit.

First, a dead body is found in the basement of the building attached to the library, and it turns out to be Carrie's fiancé's Uncle Alec, who Dylan hasn't seen in years.  But Alec has no intention of truly checking out and his ghost makes itself at home in the library, greatly upsetting the patrons.  Carrie and Evelyn work hard to keep Alec out of sight, but what was he doing in Clover Ridge to begin with?  And why was he killed?

Meanwhile, the town council of which Carrie is also a member, is embroiled in a hot-headed debate over the fate of the Seabrook Preserve, a lovely and valuable piece of property that runs along Long Island Sound.  Turn it into an upscale park?  Sell it to a condo developer?  Or keep it as protected land?

As the dispute rages, there's another murder, this time involving a council member.  Could the two murders be connected?  And could Carrie be next on the hit list?

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Carrie Singleton works for the Clover Ridge library and is settling into her new life as fiancée of Dylan, her investigator boyfriend.  She loves her cat, Smoky Joe, who comes to work with her every day, and is beginning a new chapter as the newest member of the town council.

The library has bought the vacant building next door and people are anxious for the renovations to be finished, no more than Carrie, who is looking forward to the new auditorium, which will seat more people and she will be able to hold more programs as the Events and Programs Director for the library.  But things take a nasty turn when a body is found in the basement.  With no identification the police are having a hard time discovering who it is.  But the ambitious news reporter uncovers the name of the deceased, who turns out to be Alec Dunmore -- and the uncle of Dylan.  Now Carrie has to find a way to tell Dylan about Alec, and figure out why Alec hasn't crossed to the other side.  With the help of her resident library ghost Evelyn, who knows more than she's telling, Carrie is determined to figure things out.  

While she doesn't want to step on her friend John Mather's toes, the police detective isn't having as much luck as the reporter is.  So Carrie reluctantly teams up with her to discover exactly what is going on.  As Alec remembers more, Carrie becomes suspicious of a lot of people she's come in contact with recently.  And with a big vote on the Seabrook Preserve coming up on the council, it seems everyone has an agenda.  And they want her to vote their way.  Could one of them be a killer?  Or is it someone closer to home?...

This is the sixth book in the series, and I must say that I've enjoyed it the most.  We get to see a lot more of Evelyn, and she plays a larger part in this book.  We also get to see how Carrie's new relationships with the town council are playing out.  Carrie still has a reluctance to get married, seeing as how her parents' marriage turned out; but we learn more (through Alec and Carrie's relatives and friends) what Dylan's parents were like.  It's an insight that's been a long time coming, and it makes the characters become more real to us.

Getting insight on someone's background brings them into the world of reality; you can empathize with them and decide whether you like them or not, whether you agree with their decisions.  It's an important part of this book, and it makes things a little more whole in the big picture.

All Alec wants to do is move on, but realizes he can't do so until his murder is solved, which makes it a major part of the book.  We learn about the type of person he was in life, and it explains his relationship with Dylan.  There's also a couple of surprises in store for Dylan and Carrie.

But when we learn about the murderer and the way the murder occurred it makes us saddened, and finding out the reasons why are callous.  However, the book brings us satisfaction and makes us look forward to the next in the series (I'm waiting...).  Highly recommended.

I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.

https://www.amazon.com/Dewey-Decimated-Haunted-Library-Mystery-ebook/dp/B09N6M1SNP/ref

Goodreads:      https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4879365040

More on Allison Brook's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/b/allison-brook/

Dead Velvet Cake (Apple Orchard Cozy Mystery Book 16)

Author:    Chelsea Thomas

Genre:     Mystery

Digital Book

ASIN #:    B08N55PX9J

Independently Published

$5.99 Amazon

July 31. 2022

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

When Chelsea moved back home to her family apple orchard, she expected to spend her days enjoying small town life, shopping on main street, baking apple pie, and chatting the night away with her aunt, Miss May.  Then the murders began, and they didn't stop, and life changed for everyone.

There was still apple pie, and plenty of small town charm, of course.  But Chelsea also found herself in one dangerous situation after another, tracking down cold-blooded killers with Miss May.

This victim deserved it.

That's right...word around town is that the most recent murder victim in Pine Grove got his comeuppance.  But Chelsea and Miss May don't believe anyone deserves to be killed, not now, not ever, no way, no how.

So they team up with their team of loyal sidekicks - including a bottle blonde diner owner who never backs down from a fight -- and they set off to catch the killer.

This time, they need to solve the murder before they leave for vacation in 48 hours.  Will the girls solve this one in time?  Or will the killer be the one who gets away?

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Chelsea, Miss May, and Teeny are having a party celebrating their latest killer capture, when Rita, once Chelsea's nemesis now somewhat-friend, comes screaming that there's a dead body in another room of the diner.  Sure enough, they find a dead man slumped over a table and a partially eaten piece of Red Velvet cake in front of him.  Now there's a murder investigation going on, and the three women are sure they can solve it.

If they have the time.  It seems they've been planning a road trip to Southern California to see old friends and have a vacation including beach time, but this murder puts a damper on the plans.  If they're going to leave, they have just 48 hours to solve this murder, or a killer will be on the loose.  They can leave it to the police this one time, right?  Wrong.  When the three women get together, their curiosity and sheer determination push them forward.  And they aren't leaving town without capturing a murderer.  And they're going on their vacation.  The big problem is they have no real suspects.  But someone killed him, and they're going to figure out who it is...

This is the sixteenth book in the series, and I have enjoyed it quite as much as all the others.  When these three get together to solve a murder, it's rather hilarious.  Teeny wants to fight anyone and everyone, and Miss May has to talk her down.  But the conversations between them are quite witty, and funny to boot.

When the victim's wife comes to them to be questioned so she can be eliminated, they're on their game.  They may be suspicious of the woman, but she had no reason to want him dead.  Or did she?  Not to mention rumors of an affair, and some people outright hated him for one reason or another.  But which one killed him?

Short of breaking and entering, (not that it wasn't considered) they're low on clues and high on suspects.  And the clock is ticking.  And Chelsea's wondering what's wrong with Wayne, and if they're on the right track.  But when push comes to shove, the three women are always going to pull ahead in the race, and they're going to get the killer...or at least hope so...if the killer doesn't get one of them first...

I can't tell you how much I loved this book.  Plenty of action, plenty of suspects, and plenty of red herrings.  Lots of goings-on that shouldn't be going on, and when the three put everything together (as we know they will) it adds up to a fun journey that gives us not only the capture of a killer (as we know will occur) but an ending that gives us something to look forward to in the next book.  And it can't be soon enough for me.  Highly recommended.

I received a copy of the book from the author and BookSprout but this in no way influenced my review.

https://www.amazon.com/Dead-Velvet-Apple-Orchard-Mystery-ebook/dp/B09N55PX9J/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4872215264

More on Chelsea Thomas's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/t/chelsea-thomas/

The Curse of Sherlock Holmes: The Basil Rathbone Story

Author:    David Clayton

Genre:     Biography/Film

Digital Book

ASIN #:    B08DG6PJ7C

The History Press

231 Pages

$7.99 Amazon

August 3, 2020

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Basil Rathbone is synonymous with Sherlock Holmes.

He played the Victorian sleuth in fourteen Fox/Universal films of the 1930's and '40's, as well as on stage and radio.  For many people, he is the Holmes.

Basil Rathbone grew to hate Sherlock Holmes.

The character placed restrictions on his career; before Holmes he was an esteemed theatre actor, appearing in Broadway plays such as The Captive and The Swan, the latter of which became his launchpad to greater stardom.  But he never, ever escaped his most famous role.

Basil Rathbone was not Sherlock Holmes.

In The Curse of Sherlock Holmes, celebrated biographer David Clayton looks at the behind-the-camera life of a remarkable man who deserved so much more than to be relegated to just one role.

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

This biography of Basil Rathbone is perhaps one of the best written, just behind Basil's own autobiography.  While Mr. Clayton clearly likes his subject, he doesn't pull any punches as to Mr. Rathbone.

In the beginning, Basil always knew he wanted to be an actor.  But he couldn't give this information to his parents, and instead at his school Repton, he excelled in sports of all kind while honing his skills in the theatre.  He was an ordinary scholarly student, struggling to keep his grades up because his interests were elsewhere.  However, when it was needed, he managed to keep them up enough to graduate.

Basil was an extraordinary man; so much more than what most people know of him.  He was a war hero, and there is several paragraphs which dictate just how fearless (or bored) he was; something that is normal today in the military was not familiar then.  I was surprised, but happily so.

He married twice, and while his first marriage suffered and ended, leaving his ex-wife with his young son Rodian (a sad story in itself), he managed to find a new wife named Ouida, who excelled herself in entertaining and loved lavish parties.  Perhaps this is the reason -- as the author speculates -- that Basil kept himself working after most of his prospects were done.

He was not only an accomplished theatre actor -- his first love -- but also an accomplished actor in film, and so much more than just Sherlock Holmes.  I have seen most, if not all, of his films, and am still amazed each time I see Son of Frankenstein, where there is a scene in which he does his own stunts.  I love his swordplay in the films.  I love his voice, so full of life and vigor, his body of regal bearing like a tiger about to pounce.

But it is Sherlock with which he is identified both, and this role made him rich, but took away much of his soul.  He will be forever identified in it; and I watch these films at least once per year.  While I enjoy them, I could enjoy them more if Nigel Bruce were not such a bumbling fool in them (no offense to Mr. Bruce's acting; it takes a good actor to be perceived so and get away with it).  If anyone knows the books as I do, Dr. Watson narrates them, and a fool could not do this.  But I find no fault with Mr. Rathbone's portrayal of Holmes.  It is indeed excellent, and just what I would consider Holmes to be.  Perhaps the only reason I prefer Jeremy Brett's Holmes to Basil's is because Dr. Watson in that series is more what Dr. Watson should have been in the first place.  I will never know the answer to this question.

But Basil was cursed by Holmes and unable to find decent roles when he had given it up, and it was this that he ended his career on; and a sad ending for such a jovial and talented actor.  We can surmise that he would not have had to take roles he despised if it were not for Ouida spending all his money; it is opined by the author that she controlled Basil at home; and if you see how his own son and grandchildren were treated, I can sympathize (my own stepmother attempted to erase my father's first family, too -- but without success, at least).  It caused sadness for Basil.

In the end, this biography details Basil's life -- both good and bad -- and gives us a better understanding of the man and the actor.  I am glad that I discovered it, and I would highly recommend it to others.

https://www.amazon.com/Curse-Sherlock-Holmes-Basil-Rathbone-ebook/dp/B08DG6PJ7Z/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4865476960

Bayou Book Thief (Vintage Cookbook Mystery #1)

Author:    Ellen Byron

Genre:     Mystery

Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9780593437612

Berkley Publishing

304 Pages

$8.99; $8.99 Amazon

June 7, 2022

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Twenty-eight-year-old widow Ricki James leaves Los Angeles to start a new life in New Orleans after her showboating actor husband perishes doing a stupid internet stunt.  The Big Easy is where she was born and adopted by the NICU nurse who cared for her after Ricki's teen mother disappeared from the hospital.

Ricki's dream comes true when she joins the quirky staff of Bon Vee Culinary House Museum, the spectacular former Garden District home of late bon vivant Genevieve "Vee" Charbonnet, the city's legendary restauranteur.  Ricki is excited about turning her avocation -- collection vintage cookbooks -- into a vocation by launching the museum's gift shop, Miss Vee's Vintage Cookbooks and Kitchenware.  Then she discovers that a box of donated vintage cookbooks contains the body of a cantankerous Bon Vee employee who was fired after being exposed as a book thief.

The skills Ricki has developed ferreting out hidden vintage treasures come in handy for investigations.  But both her business and Bon Vee could wind up as deadstock when Rick's past as curator of a billionaire's first edition collection comes back to haunt her.

Will Miss Vee's Vintage Cookbooks and Kitchenware be a success...or a recipe for disaster?

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Ricki James left Lost Angeles after her husband died in a freak accident.  Now moved to New Orleans, she embraces the city she where she took her first breath, and has found a position in the Bon Vee Culinary House Museum running their vintage kitchenware shop, sharing her profits with the museum.  She's happy enough with this, but doesn't like the bickering between the tour guides.  When one of the guides is fired after stealing, the staff is grateful, since he wasn't well-liked.  But the next day, an unexpected arrival of books is delivered...along with his body in a trunk.  

Ricki thinks the killer might be one of the employees, but she wisely keeps this to herself as she tries to figure out who killed the man.  After searching for clues, she doesn't think she's getting much closer to the killer until something unexpected occurs...and Ricki might find herself fatally bookmarked...

This is the first book in the series, and I will say that the cover is beautiful.  This is part of why I wanted to read the book, the second being that I absolutely love Ms. Byron's Pelican series.  I suppose I was hoping this would be more like that series, but it is as far away from it as can be while still taking place in Louisiana.  There are just too many characters to keep track of, and since I read this on my Kindle, it was too difficult to go back to the page listing characters and then back to where I was, so I finally just gave up.

While I give kudos for the writing, as Ms. Byron is a talented writer with a gift for description of the characters' surroundings, it was at the same time hard to care about any of the people since you didn't get a full description of them.  I would have liked to have known more about Lyla and her family, meeting both Kaitlyn and Dan; and why Theo is the way he is about everything.  What is the truth about Zellah and Mordant's relationship (if any).  I realize that it is hard to connect everything in a first book, but if there had been less characters, it would have been easier.  Oh, well.

At any rate, Ricki at first finds herself a fish out of water until she begins to make a few friends, and maybe a surprise one of the homicide detective herself, which I found both interesting and nice.  I do like Eugenia, her intelligence and grace showing; but found it hard to involve myself with Ricki.  

When we get toward the ending the killer is revealed, and the reason for the murder.  Understandable, if you know the saying about why the man was murdered -- but I am not going to reveal that here.  After all was discovered, there are a few chapters left in which we learn a little more about Ricki's new life, and a teaser chapter of the next book in the series.  Recommended.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.

https://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Thief-Vintage-Cookbook-Mystery-ebook/dp/B09FPJHVGK/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4856228537

More on Ellen Byron's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/b/ellen-byron/

Cookie Dough and Bruised Egos (Ivy Creek Cozy Mystery Book 6)

Author:    Ruth Baker

Genre:     Mystery

Paperback; Digital Book (Hardcover Also Available)

ISBN #:    9798840246047 

Clean Tales Publishing

168 Pages

$9.99; $2.99 ($14.99) Amazon

July 12, 2022

⭐⭐⭐⭐

When Lucy's asked to provide the treats at the book launch for a popular author, she's excited about the opportunity to be in the presence of this author who might just give her tips on becoming an author herself.

Things take a drastic turn for the worse when this popular author goes missing at her book launch...and is eventually found stone-cold dead.  It seems this tragedy was caused by an allergic reaction...or was it?

As Lucy begins to under the relationships this author had with several people in her life, she realizes that many people had a lot to gain by her demise.  Lucy feels her life is in danger as she pokes further into the affairs of the people closest to this author.

Will she discover a sinister plot motivated by greed, revenge and jealousy?  Or become the next victim of a killer who's not afraid to remove every stumbling block in their path?

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

I have to first say that part of the blurb is wrong.  Lucy has no interest in becoming a writer, but she does stay for Paula Perk's book signing because she wants her bakery items to be tasted, which perhaps will bring her more business.

When Lucy Hale is asked by Clara Davidson to provide the treats for the speaking engagement, she's happy because it will bring in a large amount of money, as well as business for her bakery.  But while she is at the event, Paula goes to the bathroom and doesn't emerge.  After deputy sheriff Taylor Baker breaks the door down, Paula is found on the floor, and it's apparent a bee sting killed her.  But there was more than one bee in the bathroom, and how did it get there?  

Even with Taylor admonishing her not to investigate, Lucy is determined to find out who killed the woman and why.  Was it her apparently grieving husband?  Her anxious manager?  Or someone else in the crowd of people?  She wasn't well-liked in Ivy Creek, and Lucy is going to find her killer...if the killer doesn't find Lucy first...

This is the sixth book in the series, and I have to say that they are getting better with each book.  The characters are getting fleshed out, and we're seeing Lucy grow her business, along with her Aunt Tricia and her loyal employee Hannah.  It's nice to see that she's not struggling, as many protagonists do in cozies.

I like her character, as she doesn't overtly accuse people of murder; but studies clues and tries to come to the best conclusions.  In this book, she finds her clues in an unexpected place, and she never would have if it weren't for the inadvertent help of a new friend in town.  The ending is done nicely, with the antagonist explaining the reasons why and full of rage, and it also gives us something to look forward to in the next book.  Recommended.

I received a copy of this book from Clean Tales Publishing but this in no way influenced my review.

https://www.amazon.com/Cookie-Dough-Bruised-Creek-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0B29LNDPH/ref

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4851692184

More on Ruth Baker's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/b/ruth-baker/  

Petter Off Dead (Dog Groomer Mysteries Book 7)

Author:    Chelsea Thomas

Genre:     Mystery

Digital Book

ASIN #:    B09MDQ1J5K

Independently Published

203 Pages

$5.99 Amazon

July 21, 2022

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Welcome to Santa Barbara, a quaint coastal village just a short drive north of Los Angeles.  There are wineries, cute little shops, beautiful missions, and all the charm and scenery a girl could ask for.  It's the kind of place where life feels easy and simple...

...until the dead bodies turn up.

When Amy and her grumpy Granny head up the California coast for a pet care convention, they think it'll be the perfect getaway.  But nothing kills vacation vibes like a corpse, especially when the killer could strike again.

There were no signs of a struggle and the poor, unsuspecting victim left a note, so the death seems like a suicide.  But something doesn't add up.  For one thing, the note makes no sense, and for another, the victim's widow swears he would never do something like this.

Will our sleuths crack the case in time?  Or will this pet care convention be murder?

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

In this seventh outing of the series, Amy, Granny, and Betsy are headed to Santa Barbara for a pet care convention.  Along for the trip is Amy's boyfriend (maybe?) Mike Fine, who is taking a vacation from his police detective job to spend it with Amy.  Upon arriving, Amy is upset to learn the room she requested has been given to someone else, but Mike seems fine with it, so Amy, disappointed, goes along with it.

But Granny and Betsy can't stop arguing about anything and everything.  So much for a vacation.  While Amy is off to get them something for their booth, she runs into a man -- literally -- and he's rude and almost threatens her.  To her dismay, the man's booth is right next door to them, and it appears he's trying to stop people from going to their booth.  However, both Amy and Betsy are sidetracked by finding a dead body, and Amy, with her penchant for wanting to know the killer, spends her time looking for him or her; and if that's not bad enough, Mike is spending his time without her.  So what else can she do except try to solve the case?

This is a very fun cozy, with a lot going on.  You have a killer on the loose, Granny being Granny and scaring away people, Betsy trying to write a screenplay (again), and Amy at loose ends looking for clues.  What can go wrong?  Apparently, everything.  Without giving too much away, as I don't want to spoil it for others, let me tell you that this book is one that keeps you reading in one sitting, because you don't want to miss anything.  It's not only fun, it's full of clues that make it difficult to discover until almost Amy does at the same time.

Granny is still Granny; loud and grumpy; Betsy is still a hoot; and I love the fact that there might be a new addition to the cast (hopefully).  Amy has her hands full trying to keep the peace between her two coworkers, and doing some things that might not be legal, but oh, well; it's all in the name of justice, right?

What we wind up with is a whirlwind of action, with Amy finding it hard to keep her mind on business (even though she knows she should) and using all her wits to find the murderer before the convention ends.  She might not have a horse in the race, but she's determined to get to the finish line first.

I loved this mystery and all that it entailed; it is witty, fun, and I feel Amy's frustration right along with her.  When the murderer is revealed, it's satisfying and gives us something to look forward to in the next in the series.  Highly recommended.

I was given an advance copy of this book from the author and BookSprout but this in no way influenced my review.

https://www.amazon.com/Petter-Dead-Groomer-Mysteries-Book-ebook/dp/B09MDQ1J5K/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4849428001

More on Chelsea Thomas's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/t/chelsea-thomas/

A Study in Scarlet (Sherlock Holmes #1)

Author:    Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Genre:     Historical Mystery

Digital Book

ASIN #:    B0B6F59KS2

Independently Published

158 Pages

$3.99 Amazon

July 12, 2022

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A Study in Scarlet is a detective mystery novel written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, introducing his new characters, "consulting detective" Sherlock Holmes and his friend and chronicler Dr. John Watson, who later became two of the most famous characters in literature.  Conan Doyle wrote the story in 1886, and it was published the following year.  The book's title derives from a speech given by Holmes to Dr. Watson on the nature of his work, in which he describes the story's murder investigation as his "study in scarlet"; "There's the scarlet thread of murder running through the colourless skein of life, and our duty is to unravel it, and isolate it, and expose every inch of it."

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When Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote this story in 1886, little did he know that Mr. Sherlock Holmes would go on to become the most famous detective of mystery.  This is the first of these stories, and in it we get to meet Dr. John Watson first, and why he returned to England from the war.  When we meet Mr. Holmes, he is in his laboratory doing experiments - what else? - and seems flighty to Watson; but as we know, first impressions can be deceiving.  It is not long before he discovers what Holmes does for a living; and he encourages him to take a case when asked by Scotland Yard detectives to intervene.

It is in the murder room that Dr. Watson sees Mr. Sherlock Holmes at his best and how he goes about deciphering clues.  While it is strange indeed, with Holmes putting his face to the floor, picking up bits of dust, and walking back and forth across the room, he is intrigued and wants to know more.  It is here that Holmes gives Scotland Yard detectives Gregson and Lestrade their clues -- and watches while they bungle the case.  He, however, is cleverer than that (which we know) and he manages to not only figure out the murderer, but the name also, and where he may be found.  

After the capture, we are given the story behind the reasons for the murder, and it is very sad and heart-wrenching; it is a story of revenge that carries decades of pain with it.  After the man is dispatched to Scotland Yard (no spoilers here; we know he will be captured and taken to the Yard), Holmes explains to Watson how it was done.   It is a masterpiece written centuries ago, one that still stands the test of time.  How Holmes mind works is an amazing piece of art; how he uses reason and logic and no emotions at all in solving; and how he is satisfied with himself at the end -- these are the true reasons for reading the book.  We cannot hope to reach his expertise, nor do we want to; it is enough that these wonderful books are here for our reading pleasure.  Highly recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B6F59KS2/ref=sr_1_9

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/323587525

More on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/d/sir-arthur-conan-doyle/

The Game Is A Footnote (A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery #8)

Author:    Vicki Delany

Genre:     Mystery

Hardcover; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781639101450

Crooked Lane Books

320 Pages

$26.99; $13.99 Amazon

January 10, 2023

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Scarlet House, now a historical re-enactment museum, is the oldest building in West London, Massachusetts.  When things start moving around on their own, board members suggest that Gemma Doyle, owner of the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium, might be able to get to the bottom of it.  Gemma doesn't believe in ghosts, but she agrees to 'eliminate the impossible.'  But when Gemma and Jayne stumble across a dead body on the property, they're forced to consider an all too physical threat.

Gemma and Jayne suspect foul play as they start to uncover more secrets about the museum.  With the museum being a revolving door for potential killers, they have plenty of options for who might be the actual culprit.

Despite Gemma's determination not to get further involved, it would appear that once again, and much to the displeasure of Detective Ryan Ashburton, the game is afoot.

Will Gemma and Jayne be able to solve the mystery behind the haunted museum, or will they be the next to haunt it?

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Gemma Doyle, owner of the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium, has special skills that allow her to discover things about others.  She has superb observation skills.  It's served her well in helping to solve more than one murder.  But now she's been asked to see if Scarlet House is haunted.  It seems things have been moving around at night when no one is there.  Not really wanting to, but since the asking came from her best friend Jayne's mother Leslie, she agrees to do so.  So she finds herself, along with Jayne and Jayne's fiancé Andy, spending the night in the old house.  The only other people there are out in the barn: a retired veterinarian who cares for the animals, and volunteer Craig Jones.  Gemma, who doesn't believe in ghosts, spends time walking through the house at various hours to see if there is any activity.  

But when there's noise in the kitchen, nothing seems to have been disturbed.  And when there's noise in the barn, it seems the animals have been spooked by something unknown.  Then a body is discovered on the premises and Gemma calls the police, with her boyfriend Detective Ryan Ashburton arriving to check it out.

Now, Gemma is once again in pursuit of a killer, with clues few and far between.  She'll need all her wits about her to solve this murder, even if the police don't want her involved.

Then there's a bit of a complication:  Gemma's sister Pippa shows up out of the blue, claiming she's taking a bit of a vacation while her employer is in Washington on business.  Gemma, ever alert as she is, knows something else is up with Pippa.  Pippa is Mycroft Holmes to Gemma's Sherlock, and together they might just be unstoppable...and now the game is afoot... 

This is the eighth book in the series, and I have read them all.  While in the first book I wasn't fond of Gemma, I have now grown to love her.  She's extremely intelligent, loyal to her friends and family, loves animals, her shop, and, of course, Ryan.  She's an extraordinary woman, and she doesn't actually accuse anyone without having facts to back it up.  She also has a sudden problem with one of her employees, and while she'd like to leave it alone, her curiosity gets the better of her and she needs the answers she's looking for.

But now Pippa has come on the scene, with the story that she's on vacation, but Gemma doesn't believe it one whit.  She knows there's something going on, and she's determined to figure it out.  What she finds out from Pippa isn't what she expects, and she's surprised at it.  Watching both Gemma and Pippa together is a lot of fun, and makes your brain work just a little bit harder to try and figure it out before they do.

It's a delightful romp of a book, bringing the staid British together with the emotional Americans, and watching the two combine and deliver conclusions at the end is quite worthwhile.  It leaves us wanting more and waiting impatiently for the next in the series.  I enjoyed this book so much that I have decided to revisit the great Holmes himself in A Study in Scarlet.  Highly recommended.

I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.

https://www.amazon.com/Footnote-Sherlock-Holmes-Bookshop-Mystery-ebook/dp/B09XM5M8SC/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4842911731

More on Vicki Delany's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/d/vicki-delany/

The Diva Says Cheesecake (A Domestic Diva Mystery Book 15)

Author:    Krista Davis

Genre:     Mystery

Hardcover; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781496732767

Kensington Cozies

304 Pages

$23.49; $12.99 Amazon

May 31, 2022

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Old Town's midsummer festivities are getting a tasty addition this year.  To coincide with a public performance of Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream," Bobbie Sue Bodoin, the Queen of Cheesecake, has hired Sophie to organize a dinner with a dessert buffet on the waterfront.  Bobbie Sue's homegrown company is thriving, and since her baking dish overfloweth, she wants to reward her employees.

Bobbie Sue has only one menu demand: no cheesecake!  But her specialty isn't the only thing missing from the evening -- Tate, Bobbie Sue's husband, is too, much to her annoyance.  Next morning, however, Tate's dead body is discovered.  Bobbie Sue insists she didn't kick her spouse to the crub, and begs for Sophie's help finding the real killer.  Digging in, Sophie discovers an assortment of Old Town locals who all had a reason to want a piece of Tate.  Can she gather together the crumbs the killer left behind in time to prevent a second helping of murder?

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When Sophie Winston, cook extraordinaire, is asked to cater a dinner for Bobbie Sue Bodoin's employees, she's more than happy to do so.  The meal goes off splendidly, except for the fact that Bobbie Sue is upset with her husband Tate, who promised to be there to see their son Spencer run a race, and watch his daughter Jo in a ballet routine.  At first Bobbie Sue is irritated, but the next morning she's frantic because Tate hasn't come home.  She asks Sophie's help in finding him, and Sophie agrees.  But what she doesn't agree to is finding Tate's body in the basement of his restaurant -- dead.  Now the primary suspect is is rival in business, Sophie's good friend Bernie.

While Sophie knows Bernie couldn't be a killer, the evidence is climbing toward him killing Tate.  But she, along with all Bernie's friends, are determined to find the true killer.  When Sophie is attacked, she knows the killer is out there, even if the police still think it's Bernie.  Sophie needs to use all of her wits to evade a killer who might be nearer than anyone knows...

This is the fifteenth book in the series, and I have to say that I enjoyed it immensely.  This series just seems to keep on getting better with each book.  I like the fact that Sophie isn't bending over backward to please Natasha, and even talks back to her when Natasha thinks she's making a 'helpful' remark.  Natasha is still as annoying as always, allowing her mouth to speak before her brain can process...or maybe she's just wired differently.

Bernie's friends rally 'round him loyally, and this book is as much a mystery as it is showing what true friendship looks like.  I loved the warmth between the friends and the fact that they are so comfortable and caring with each other.  I especially liked the scenes where Nina was trying to figure out what was going on with her husband.  They were definitely humorous.

I knew who the killer was the moment that person stepped on the page, but it's the why and how that I wanted to see Sophie figure out.  It was indeed worth reading the entire book to come to the climax of that moment in time.  When the killer is discovered and the reason discerned, it shows you can never understand the reasoning of other people.  So sad.

In the end, it all came together in a nice package, with the story being long on friendship, a few subplots thrown in that were all interesting (poor Natasha can't get a break), and the ending being both satisfying and worth it all.  There are also quite a few yummy recipes thrown in at the back if you want to try them (I know I am going to).  Highly recommended.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.

https://www.amazon.com/Diva-Says-Cheesecake-Domestic-Mystery-ebook/dp/B09FFXSHP4/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4571396519

More on Krista Davis's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/d/krista-davis/

Steeped in Secrets (A Crystals & CuriosiTEAS Mystery #1)

Author:    Lauren Elliott

Genre:     Mystery/Fantasy

Hardcover; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781496735201

Kensington Cozies

304 Pages

$26.00; $12.99 Amazon

November 29, 2022

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Even with her life in ruins in New Mexico, Shay feels uneasy about settling into the small seaside town where she grew up on California's Monterey Peninsula and taking over an estate bequeathed to her by Bridget Early, a woman she had barely known.  Her heightened senses -- an empathic gift she's had since childhood -- go into overdrive upon touring Crystals & CuriosiTEAS, Bridget's eclectic tea and psychic shop brimming with Irish lore and Celtic symbols.  They reach a boiling point when Shay looks up to discover a stranger's body sprawled across the shop's greenhouse roof...

With her new business a crime scene and questions brewing over Bridget's so-called accidental death, Shay fears she's also inherited the attention of a killer.  The terrifying realization sets her on an impractical investigation for answers aided by her sister, an elusive pure-white German Shepherd, a strikingly handsome pub owner who speaks in a gentle brogue, and a misunderstood young woman with perceptive talents of her own.  As Shay struggles to figure out her true purpose in Bray Harbor and the powerful connection she has with the tea shop, she must trust her judgment above all else to identify a ruthless murderer and save herself from becoming victim number three...

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Shay Myers has left her home in New Mexico, broken from a marriage that left her nothing and took everything.  The reason she is here is because she's learned of an inheritance she's been left by a woman she barely knew, Bridget Early.  Bridget left Shay her business and her home, a cottage by the sea.  At first wanting to sell, she's changed her mind and decided to reopen the shop as a tea room.  But the real estate agent is pushing her, as well as her older sister Jen, to leave -- especially when a body is found above the shop.  But Shay is made of stronger stuff, and with the help of a young woman named Tassi, and a stranger white German Shepherd named Spirit, who seems to know what she needs, Shay decides to make her home here again.

But it's not going to be easy,  With the pushback from others, and an even stranger gift, she wonders what Bridget was trying to tell her.  With the help of the owner of the pub next door, a handsome Irishman, she knows she has to make this work, at any cost.  Even if a killer is looking for her next...

This is the first book in the series, and I do love Ms. Elliott's other series, so I wanted to give this one a chance.  I am not fond of fantasy books but this book had me enthralled in a very short time.  There is so much I can say, but will not so in order not to spoil the book for others.

It is a lot of mystery, a little fantasy, a touch of romance...exactly what it should be to bring the reader into the story.  The author takes us to another place, and even another time, and we are drawn into the story easily, and wanting to be a part of it.  Oh, how I wanted to see the shop and the garden; but I will have to settle for seeing it through Shay's eyes.  A little Irish folklore can go a long way into enchanting a mystery and showing us Shay's future, if not her past.

This is a most delightful beginning to a series, and I can still see it in my mind's eye; wanting to read the next in the series soon.  I will definitely be looking forward to it.  Highly recommended.

I received an advance copy from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.

https://www.amazon.com/Steeped-Secrets-Lauren-Elliott-ebook/dp/B09TX19WNN/ref

Goodreads:   https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4829557960 

More on Lauren Elliott's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/e/lauren-elliott/

Bake Offed (A Five-Ingredient Mystery Book 8)

Author:    Maya Corrigan

Genre:     Mystery

Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781496734570

Kensington Publishing

304 Pages

$8.99; $6.99 Amazon

November 29, 2022

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

When the Deadly Desserts Bake-Off lives up to its name, Val and Granddad turn up the heat on a killer...

The Maryland Mystery Fan Fest sounds like exactly the fun getaway café manager Val Deniston and her grandfather could use.  Granddad will even compete in a dessert competition in which contestants assume the roles of cooks to famous fictional sleuths.  Playing Nero Wolfe's gourmet cook Fritz is an exciting challenge for Granddad.  A restaurant manager is playing Lord Peter Wimsey's valet and cook Bunter.  But Granddad is steamed to learn who will be playing Sherlock Holmes's landlady, Mrs. Hudson -- his nemesis Cynthia Sweet, who he believes ripped off his five-ingredient theme from his column "Codger Cook" to use in her own recipe column.

Apparently, he isn't the only one who has a beef with his not-so-sweet competitor.  When she's found dead in her room with the teakettle whistling, it's up to Val and her grandfather to sort through the festival goers to find out who was most definitely not a fan of Cynthia Sweet...

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Val Deniston and her grandfather Don Myers are attending the Maryland Mystery Fan Fest; Don as a contestant in a dessert contest, and Val as a volunteer to go where needed.  When they receive their welcome packages, Granddad receives a note that seems ominous, and they both wonder if they need to keep an eye on Cynthia Sweet, who has a history of not being so sweet at all.

At night after a full day, Val hears a teakettle whistling, and gets the security guard to open Cynthia's door, where they find her dead.  At first it seems an accident, but then is discovered to be a murder by the police.  Now Val feels she needs to do a little research to find out who had a real grudge against the woman -- enough to kill...

This is the eighth book in the series and I have read them all.  I will admit that at first it started out slower than the previous books, but then reading on, I began to see that it is much different.  This book is almost like those old classic movies where someone in a dark house is murdered, and then the rest of the guests staying there are all suspects; finally, the protagonist discovers the murderer.  Yes, it is just like that.

The 'guests' in this story are people that are attending the fest.  There are several that might have a grudge against the dead woman, and yet all of them seem to have alibis (such as in a movie).  Now it is up to Val and Granddad to disprove the alibis -- at least of one of the guests; the murderer.

It's a fun tale that keeps you wrapped up in the story, and working right alongside Val to figure out who the killer might be.  With red herrings everywhere, and so many people to talk to, you need to keep an eye on the prize: who the killer might be.  And when it's finally discovered, it's strange enough to be true, and sad enough to make you wonder what goes through a killer's mind.

As always, Ms. Corrigan weaves a tidy tale that has has enough action and sifting through peoples' statements to finally come to a completely satisfying end.  I look forward to the next in the series.  Highly recommended.

I received an advance copy from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.

https://www.amazon.com/Bake-Offed-Five-Ingredient-Mystery-Book-ebook/dp/B09TWZVNX7/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4829483044

More on Maya Corrigan's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/c/maya-corrigan/

A Hint of Mischief (A Fairy Garden Mystery Book 3)

Author:    Daryl Wood Gerber

Genre:     Mystery

Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781496736048

Kensington Publishing

368 Pages

$15.95; $9.99 Amazon

June 28, 2022

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Courtney has thrown a few fairy garden parties --  for kids.  But if a local socialite is willing to dip into her trust fund for an old sorority sister's fortieth birthday bash, Courtney will be there with bells on.  To make the job even more appealing, a famous actress, Farrah Lawson, is flying in for the occasion, and there's nothing like a celebrity cameo to raise a business's profile.

Now Courtney has less than two weeks to paint a mural, hang up tinkling windchimes, plan party games, and conure up all the details.  While she works her magic, the hostess and her girlfriends head off for an indulgent spa day -- which leads to a fateful facial for Farrah, followed by her mysterious death.  Could the kindhearted eyebrow waxer who Farrah berated in public really be the killer, as the police suspect?  Courtney thinks otherwise, and with the help of her imaginative sleuth fairy, sets out to dig up the truth behind this puzzling murder...

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Courtney has a store named Open Your Imagination that sells fairy gardens and all things connected.  She loves her life, and is even starting a new romance with an old friend.  When trust fund baby Misty Dawn asks her to throw a birthday fairy party at her home for her and her sorority sisters, Courtney is all too happy to do so.  When one of Misty's sorority friends comes to town, it is none other than actress Farrah Lawson, and more than one person is happy to see her again.  The birthday is for their friend Odine, who has her own store in town.  

While having tea in Courtney's fairy garden, Farrah wants to take everyone -- Courtney included -- for a spa day.  While at the spa, Courtney hears a scream and finds Farrah almost hysterical.  It seems the owner's daughter who was waxing Farrah's brows, accidentally caused a problem and Farrah is upset, to say the least.  When her screaming stops, Misty assures her it is fixable.  Contrite, the daughter wants to apologize.  But before she can do so, Farrah is found dead in her rental home.  And Twyla, the daughter, is the main suspect.  Now Courtney, with the help of her own fairy, Fiona, is determined to find the true killer and pull Twyla out of danger...as long as she doesn't put herself in harm's way, right?...

This is the third book in the series and I have read them all.  I find the interactions with the different fairies quite enchanting.  It is almost as if you want to look around for your own fairy in your own garden.  The book is written wonderfully, and the characters are fun to be around.  Everything isn't going as well as Courtney would like, however; an old 'friend' from the past shows up and disrupts her life.  Also, there's a thief running around the town, stealing small items, but stealing just the same, and no one seems to have a clue as to the thief's identity.

But Courtney has to make the birthday party magical, even without Farrah, so she and her friend Meghan and employee Joss set about creating a garden worthy of many fairies.  What Courtney discovers in Misty's yard surprises her, but she continues on with her task.

As the book progresses we learn a little more about the fairies and the different types, and Fiona is learning more as well.  The descriptions of Courtney's garden make me want to go to tea there myself, and spend an afternoon just enjoying it all.  (If I didn't live where it was hot quite a bit, I'd probably have a garden myself).

But the suspects abound, and Courtney has a lot of alibis to sift through; and no one wants to be truthful about their whereabouts.  This gives her pause and makes her wonder what everyone is hiding, and who is the most likely to be the murderer.  It takes her time and much thought to figure it all out, and when she does, the climax is indeed worth reading about.  Courtney can think on her feet, as it were, and I appreciate that in a protagonist.

When the ending comes, it all comes together wonderfully; and there is an epilogue that gives us a hint as to more of the fairy world, and teaser chapters regarding the next book (hurry, please!).  Highly recommended.

I received an advance copy from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.

https://www.amazon.com/Hint-Mischief-Fairy-Garden-Mystery-ebook/dp/B09HRDQZH5/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4820920995

More on Daryl Wood Gerber's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/g/daryl-wood-gerber/